Bike Rack - 2013 Mirage (hitch-mounted approach, minus the hitch)

[Flange]

Mitsubishi NZ don't have a towbar listed for the new Mirage, maybe because NZ only gets the CVT model and they aren't keen on people towing stuff with a CVT ? Fair enough, but we do need a bike rack.

So, here's some pix of a bike rack that we had made up. It's made of thinwall square section mild steel tube and plate, weighs something like 20kg all up, and is painted to match with some paint that the local paintshop mixed up from the car's paint codes.

The two chassis rails at the rear are already drilled and equipped with four captive nuts each side, perfect mounting points.

The rack was designed to take three bikes, but there is plenty of room to fit four and the assembly should be strong enough. I will do a load test at some stage, hang 80kg off the rack to simulate a 2G bump (the bikes are about 10kg each) and see how it looks.

We did consider having it made as a towbar, but figured that it was best to restrict it to a bike rack only, thus avoiding the temptation to tow a trailer in a moment of need.

Regards to all
Flange